Similarity, typicality, and categorization

摘要: Here is a simple and appealing idea about the way people decide whether an object belongs to category: The member of category if it sufficiently similar known members. To put this in more cognitive terms, you want know member, start with representation potential category. Then determine similarity representation. If value high enough, then category; otherwise, does not. For example, suppose come across white three-dimensional elliptical profile; or read hear description like one I just gave you. You can calculate measure between your mental prior categories might fit into. Depending on outcome calculation, that warrants calling egg, perhaps, turnip Christmas ornament. This picture categorizing seems intuitively right, especially context pattern recognition. A specific egg – have never seen before looks lot other eggs. It certainly eggs than members most categories. And so hard escape conclusion something resemblance makes or, at least, us think it's one.